The 13-day aboriginal blockade of an industrial rail line in Sarnia, Ont., was ordered closed by a local judge.

Native protesters in Sarnia have maintained a blockade of a CN Rail spur line in the industrial district of the city since Dec. 21.

By:Colin GrafSpecial to the Star, Published on Wed Jan 02 2013

SARNIA, ONT.—Protesters sang songs and beat drums in a traditional ceremony Wednesday night to mark the conclusion of a 13-day aboriginal blockade of an industrial rail line in Sarnia.

The blockade, which jammed up a busy spur line in the industrial district of the city, was ordered cleared by a local judge earlier in the day.

“If this is not a disaster, it’s getting close. We cannot have this continue,” said Justice John Desotti, who expressed frustration that two previous injunctions remain unenforced. Sarnia’s chief of police was in attendance as a guest at the ceremony after publicly calling for a peaceful resolution to the situation.

Blockade spokesman Ron Plain called the protest a “huge victory.”

“We have stood up and let Stephen Harper know that we are in full support of Chief (Theresa) Spence,” Plain said.

The blockade was expected to be cleared by Thursday morning.

Meanwhile protesters across Canada are ratcheting up public demonstrations as part of Idle No More — the nascent protest movement that officially began in early October but has picked up steam lately in lockstep with Attawapiskat Chief Theresa Spence’s hunger strike.

The action in Sarnia was a flashpoint of the movement so far and a rare instance of court involvement. Other actions have tended to be spontaneous and temporary, such as the blockade of the busy Montreal-Ottawa-Toronto VIA Rail line near Belleville, Ont. That blockade lasted just hours, but organizers promised more to come.

Spence began her hunger strike Dec. 11, demanding a meeting with Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Governor-General David Johnston. Her demands have gone unmet, though Harper offered a meeting with Aboriginal Affairs Minister John Duncan. The offer was declined.

The Idle No More movement embraces a flat structure and eschews leaders, much like the Occupy movements of the past. Pamela Palmater, director of the Centre for Indigenous Governance at Ryerson University, has emerged as a spokeswoman for the movement, recently completing a U.S. media circuit.

She stressed that the movement was leaderless and protests could take different forms depending on the place.

“In one area they might feel blockades are necessary, in another it might be round dances — and it’s not for anybody to tell this grassroots movement what they can and can’t be doing,” Palmater said.

Spence issued a statement Wednesday calling for greater unity among those protesting.

“We need to continue to encourage and stand in solidarity as Indigenous Nations. We are at a historical moment in time and I ask that grassroots, chiefs and all community members come together in one voice. This is our time and we need to stand united,” Spence said in the statement.

Chief Stewart Phillip, president of the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs, said the Idle No More movement will pick up throughout the year. He and others are preparing for a rally Jan. 5 at the Peace Arch border crossing in Surrey, B.C.

Sporadic traffic interruptions because of demonstrations have been experienced across Canada, including reports of blockades in two Mi’kmaq communities in Quebec.

With files from The Canadian Press

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